After having to tell them for the THIRD time that the batteries are good, and that it’s not a connection issue…and, explaining what the actual problem is, here’s the latest response from Banggood CS:
After all this time, I don’t understand why they haven’t been in contact with the MF-01 team. You’d think they’d already been apprised of the situation, and would be ready to resolve it.
I can’t leave nothing alone i changed the led wires from 24 awg to 20 awg and output jumped to 11290 lumens 10450 @30s
Is this an updated driver? With the updated version?
To anyone wondering about the new and old versions, these pics are clearly the new version. See the 2 wires going to the leds instead of 6 wires? These new ones are not wired in 3 groups of 6 anymore.
This MF-01 Nichia 219C, which recently came to me, which ordered 09.10.2017.
Who is the MF01 team? Astrolux?
Blf had nothing to do with it other than make a couple suggestions.
It looks like the new version uses both a new driver and new mcpcb and they work together. Did they specify which driver they would send?
You don’t want the old style with 6 wires as it might break again. You want the new 2 wire one, but it may or may not work with the old mcpcb. The aftermarket 2 wire drivers work with the old 6 wire mcpcb, so maybe it’s just a matter of rewiring it.
Can you solder wires?
Is this change a good thing?
Sure would like to see comparative measurements.
Oh, I’m sorry. I was referring to Astrolux. Supposedly, the project manager has reviewed mine and other’s complaints. I just assumed that there would have communication back to CS, instead of them still giving me the run-around.
Freeme had stated that the solution would be for BG to send a complete head.
No, ’fraid I’m a bit rusty with soldering.
Well, the first version certainly had a few problems, so this new version should be better. You definetly won’t be getting a variation in led brightness at the lowest level any more. I see 4 coils instead of 3, so assuming they are the same size as the old ones, that’s a 33% increase. So it looks beefier.
Jigheadworm reports the Nichia version as being about 2,000 lumen brighter. So that seems better as well.
We really need a driver expert to compare the old and new version drivers.
Okay, it always seems BG CS (all customer service it seems) wants to do the least possible until you complain a lot. This is how they make more profits. They want people to give up.
So I guess, keep at it. Tell them you don’t know how to solder electronics so you can’t use just a driver, you need a replacement head and that the Astrolux people have reviewed your case. Tell CS to talk to the mf01 project manager.
Yeah, I had already asked them to talk to the project manager, to no avail. Here’s my response to the last email: ‘A new light head would be acceptable. As the driver is attached to the circuit board, within the light head. I do not have the required skills, nor the necessary tools, to remove the malfunctioning driver and affix a new one.’
Guess you’re right. I’ll keep at it. After all, I didn’t pay $70 for a paperweight.
Well, in my case (one bank off LEDs always turn on), I sent the moves showing it clearly that the light turns on as soon as I screw the head. They waited few days (ok, hoildays), then:
1. Asked me for using other batteries (they suggested Samsung 30Qs - I have answered that I was already using those).
2. Asked me to ensure all batteries are fully and evenly charged - Ok, I confirmed it.
3. “We have contacted the supplier, they didn’t reply yet”.
4. Asked me to re-conifirm that all batteries are fully charged, without protective plates, charged to 4,20V, asked me to send them the photos of battery test. OK, i sent them a video with me testing the batteries , inserting into light and screwing it, turning it on.
5. They contacted the supplier again. Apparently battery wasn’t a problem. So supplier told them it may be a new battery holder (???). Offered to send me the replacement one
… I told them “ok, but contact the supplier again, because for me it clearly isnt’ the matter of battery holder.
6. ”it may be battery holder, , we are sending it to you”. Sigh.
7. OK. I connected the head to 4 X AAs, 5,3V. 6 LEDs turned on (pretty dimly, but with more brightness than lowest mode). Sent them that information and asked to re-check if they are sure about battery holder being faulty.
8. They have offered me a replacement driver. I told them that I am not sure (I have a little clumsy hands…) and also, it can fail again (since Astrolux changed their driver for a reason!). Asked them for replacement head.
… to be continued.
I guess the supplier is doing a classic ‘troubleshooting by a script’ without even looking for a symptoms.
I agree the BG and GB CS are like that. Trying to have you gave up
I post very clear pictures of my issue (My HaikeLite MT03) and they either gave me:
Well… What I need is a small piece that doesn’t even cost much. And the options above had me laughing. I just saw a Youtube reviewer got free resent and he posted a video about it. And people who doesn’t review the products for them need to pay for handling fee? I throw all this at the CS because it’s been over a week and my patience is draining out slowly by them.
For those who have problems with lights, if the seller (BG), does not offer solutions, and feel defrauded, can initiate claims actions through PAYPAL, if it is effective, whenever you use this means of payment, it is always an option .
I already told this in another thread but I received an Astrolux S41 that was not turning ON at all. I reported the problem with a video and asked for a resend of the head only.
Then they asked me to test a few things, like tightening driver retaining ring an use a fully charged battery.
I aswered that I already did this “right out of the box” and asked again for a resend of the head. They asked for a confirmation to be sure to understand my request correctly : only the head ?
I confirmed and they resend it right away.
Obviously the MF-01 is a more expensive piece than the S41 head so they will probably not cooperate easily but don’t give up.
Stay simple, concise and polite, just report the obviousness : The head is not fonctionning properly, you need a resend of the head.
If you paid for the insurance it should be more straightforward, just claim for it. If not, open a paypal dispute.
If you have to resend the MF-01 head, remember that with paypal : “With this service you are eligible to receive up to 12 refunds per calendar year (between January 1st and December 31st), and may receive refunds of up to $30 USD per claim”.
Interested in 219C, if not too late.
The public code has expired.
So, the LEDS are now wired 2S 6P, i.e. all pairs in parallel, just one pair of LED wires.
Edit: now not so sure, its possible the LEDs are now wired 6S 3P and the driver is now a boost converter. In which case my concerns over gauge of LED wires would be much less. since LED current would only be 1/3 (3x voltage).
——
So the drivers must be paralleled too. Actually looking at them, there are now four (different) inductors and four (different) power transistor packages, but I still only see three power Schottky diodes, which is puzzling ?
And one big block of paralled R150 current sense resistors. In other words, it looks like one big buck driver, using paralleled power components.
So, no possibility of the one dim bank problem, the driver overall looks to be beefed up, I see potential for tweaking the current sense resistor bank to increase current, overall it all seems to have been improved.
However I think the one pair of LED wires looks rather skimpy, beefing them up with heavier gauge stuff would be an obvious first thing to consider. I am also not quite sure how the current is distributed around the MCPCB tracking, there might be some extra resistance there too, compared with the six-wire MCPCB.
I’ll have to take a closer look soon. Mine was delivered last week, but is waiting for me to return next week to look in detail.
Altogether a comprehensive re-design, I would not be surprised at if the output has been improved in the process.
Any chance this is correct instead of 2S9P?